Car-brake



2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(No Model.) f G. H. FLETCHER.

GAR BRAKE. No. 408,877. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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(N-oModel.) A 2 Sheets-Sheet G. H. FLETCHER.

I CAR BRAKE.

No. 408.877. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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UNITED lSTATES PATENT OEEICE.

GEORGE H. FLETCHER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

CAR-BRAKE;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,877, dated August 13, 1889.

Application filed November 30, 1888. Serial No. 292,285. (No model.)

To all L12/"tom, t ntay concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Wayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Oar-Brakes; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledy in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference ybeing had to the accompanying drawings,

view of a car-truck with my device attached thereto. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of a car, showing the lever used to throw the brakes into operation. Fig. 3 shows a detailed view of a part, and Fig. i shows an inverted plan view of a variation.

In the `above drawings, A represents the truck-Wheels, and B the truck-frame, of a car.

O C are the draw-bars, to which the whiftlebeams, to which the brake-shoes E E a're attached, and e e are the usual links supporting the shoes. iThese brake-beams are divided midway between the wheels and the inner ends pivotally engaged to the drawbars O C.

F E are levers. They are pivotally engaged at their ends to the inner ends of the draw-bars and extend inwardly therefrom in a diagonal direction to the plates G G,where they are fulcrumed at g. The short arms f of these levers are connected by adjustable connections with the outer ends of the brakebeams. .These adjustable connections may be chains, or, as shown, they may be composed of two rods H, connected by the turnbnckle 7L. The plates G G are supported by the crossbars l) of the truck-frame, and are provided with ears g', which project downward and loosely embrace the rod b. It will be seen that the plates G G will thus have an inward or lateral motion.

I I are levers pivotally engaged to the frame-work J, which is in turn rigidly engaged to the truck-frame. At t these levers are pivotally engaged to the draw-bars.

K are bell-crank levers fulcrumed at 7s to the frame-work J, and having one arm 7s at tached to the lever L, which extends upward above the platform of the car. The other arm 7a2 is provided with the slot 7c3, in which works a pin on the end t of the lever I. Uien the brakes are off, the end fz" of the lever I rests in a small recess at the end of the slot k3 and can only be released by a throw of the lever I and a consequent movement of the bell-crank.

IWI is a rod extending from the end 'i2 of the lever I to the other end of the truck, where it is engaged to the lever I at the point where the latter is engaged to the draw-bar, and M is a corresponding rod extending from the lever I at the point where the latter is engaged with the draw-bar to the opposite end of the truck, where it engages with the end i3 of the lever I. Thus the levers I I will be caused to move simultaneously.

The operation of theapparatus will nowbe understood. By a throw of the lever L the operator releases the end t" of the leverI and moves it forward, thus giving a like movement to the draw-bar. The draft of the horses on the draw-bar when it is released will also tend to move the vlatter forward. This forward movement orpull of the draft-bar draws the ends of the levers F forward, and this, to-

-gether with the inward motion of the plates G G', to which they are fulcrumed, causes the short arms f to exert a strong pull on the brake-beams, with which they are connected by the rods H, and operates to set the brakes. The motion of the lever I is simultaneously transmitted to the lever I by the rod M', and the brakes on each end of the truck are thus operated simultaneously. It will thus be seen that by connecting the draft-bar with the brakes the motion of the former is utilized and the' resistancevof the car operates to set the brakes.

Springs N may be attached to the trucktrame and to the plates G G and serve to assist in returning the plates to their normal position and thus release the brakes.

Of course, if desired, only that apparatus necessary to set the brakes on two of the wheels need be employed; but, ordinarily, I

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would construct the apparatus, as shown, so that the brakes eouldbe operated from either end. So, also, if desired, the plates Gr 2i' might be suspended from a single rod instead of sliding in the frame-work, as shown; ortho,

rod b may be dispensed with and the plates G G' be sustained and guided entirely by the cross-bars l).

It is evident that a eonstruetion wherein the outer ends of the levers F li" are engaged to separate bars or rods that extend to the levers I I' and the latter eonneeted to the ordinary hand-brake statt would be eontemplated by me. In this latter Construction the brakes would be set entirely by the driver irrespective of the draftpower.

Ii' desired, the rods M M' may be made adj ustable by providing them with turirbuekles m m'.

The levers I I' and bell-orank levers I( may, if desired, be pivoted directly to the ear-bottom or to the truek-frame, the frame .I being employed or not, as the construction of the ear-truck demands.

It is evident that my invention would also contemplate a construction, as shown in Fig. et, in which the levers I lf" are fulerumed to a stationary point and the forward ends provided with slots f2, in which pin f on the draw-bar would slide. In this variation it is evident that the same result would be aeeomplished-1- e., the inward pull of the short armsfol the levers F l1" operating directly on the ends of the brake-beams. In this vir riation the springs N may be located at the ends ot' the draw-bar, as shown.

'What I claim iisl. In a ear-brake mechanism, the combination, with the d raw-har and brake-beams having their inner ends pivoted to said draw-bar, of pivoted levers, eaeh having its short arm linked to its corresponding brake-beam and eaeh having its long arm engaged with the draw-bar, the construction being sueh that a pull upon the draft-bar will tilt said levers and draw the brake-shoes to their seats, substantially as described.

2. In a ear-brake mechanism, the eombination, with the draw-bar and brake-beams having their inner ends pivotally eonneeted with said draw-bar, ot pivoted levers, eaeh having its short arm linked to its Corresponding brake-beam and each having its long arm engaged with the draw-bar, the construction being suoli that a pull upon the draft-bar will tilt said levers and draw the brake-shoes 1o their seat, and, in eonneetion with the above means, to retraet the shoes to their initial position when the draft ceases, sullstantially as described.

3. In a ear-brake, the combination, with the brake-beams, of levers having their short arms linked with their corresponding brake-beams and, their long arms eonneeted with the draftbar or brake-rod, said levers iulerumed to two plates adapted to slide laterally, the eenstruetion being such that a pull on the outer ends of the levers" operates to draw in the plates and throw back the short arms of the levers, so that a tension is exerted direetlyon the brake-beams and t-he brakes set, substan tially as described.

4. In a ear-brake mechanism, the Combination, with the brake-beams, of levers having their short arms linked with their correspond ing brakebeams and their long arms een neeted with the d raft-bar or brake-rod, said levers t'nlerumed to two plates adapted to slide laterally, and springs adapted to return the plates to their normal position when the drafepower eeases, substantially as deseri bed.

A ear-brake Consisting oi a brake-beam divided midwaybetween the wheels, the ends pivotally engaged to the draw-bar, and the opposite ends provided with shoes adapted to bear on the wheels, and two levers pivotally engaged at their outer ends to the draw-bin and iulerumed to two plates adapted to move laterally, the short arms ot' said levers being con neeted by rods with the outer ends of the brake-beams, the eonstruetion being such that an outward movement ot' the draw-bar opel'- ates to set the brakes, substantially as described.

G. In a ealrbrakefthe combination,.with the brake-beam, the levers F, plates (l G', and rods l l', ot the levers F', fulernmed. to the opposite sides ol.` the plates (l G', the connect ing-rods lll M', and. levers I I', whereby the brakes are simultaneously set on both sets of wheels, substantially as described.

7. A earbrake consisting of the combina tion, with the brake beams and shoes and the draw-bars, of the levers F Ii", rods li, plates (i G', springs N, levers I I', rods M M', bellerank levers K, and levers Ii, ail arranged sub` stantially as and for the purposes deseribed.

In testimony whereof I sign this specifica tion in the presence ot two witnesses.

('-HCORGE II. FLE'ICIIER.

\\'itnesses:

M. I3. OINjwiinnn'rv, ll. (limiuimnmzv. 

